diff --git a/drivers/net/macsec.c b/drivers/net/macsec.c
index 7de88b33d5b9..9cbb0c8a896a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macsec.c
@@ -3277,7 +3277,7 @@ static int macsec_newlink(struct net *net, struct net_device *dev,
 
 	err = netdev_upper_dev_link(real_dev, dev, extack);
 	if (err < 0)
-		goto unregister;
+		goto put_dev;
 
 	/* need to be already registered so that ->init has run and
 	 * the MAC addr is set
@@ -3316,7 +3316,8 @@ del_dev:
 	macsec_del_dev(macsec);
 unlink:
 	netdev_upper_dev_unlink(real_dev, dev);
-unregister:
+put_dev:
+	dev_put(real_dev);
 	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 	return err;
 }